Have You Ever Heard Of The New York Jell-O Curse?

If you didn't know already, Jell-O was invented in New York. With that rich history, is there such a thing as a "Jell-O Curse?"

FoodBeast.com starts off reporting that between 2011 and 2012, a group of girls in LeRoy, New York made headlines when they all began experiencing “Tourette’s syndrome-like symptoms” with an unknown cause:

The symptoms these girls experienced included uncontrollable spasm-like movements, uttering repeatedly strange noises, convulsive fits, and anxiety attacks. Officially, the diagnoses came in as “mass psychogenic illness” and “conversion disorder,” but the source of it was still unknown. There were loads of explanations offered up by the media, including mold in the walls, toxic spills, and other theories.

Allie Rowbottom, one of the surviving members of the family that owns Jell-O’s patent, has a more vivid and intricate understanding of the real causes. She partially blames her family, who lived in LeRoy, as well as Jell-O itself, for why those girls experienced the symptoms they did. She speaks from experience, as herself, her mother, and her grandmother all went through the exact same thing: something they call “The Jell-O Curse.”"

In a new tell all book called "Jell-O Girls," Rowbottom reveals the curse started from oppressive patriarchy and misogyny. The family was devoted to money and success. She goes on to explain how femininity was skirted and diminished by her family, and abuse came from that:

Within the “Jell-O family,” there is a clear history of the women being physically and mentally abused by the men, including instances of sexual assault and rape. This was how the “Jell-O Curse” manifested itself, but while the men attributed it to money and lust, the women discovered misogyny to be the real reason."

In a recent piece from the New York Times, they also add that the curse is the reasoning to a number of Rowbottom’s relatives succumbing to alcoholism and suicide. The book gets into a lot of dark details behind the legacy of the brand.